The Feast of Fire and Ice

Some like it VERY hot! Brave contestants eat chillies so fiery that they sit in barrels of ice during bizarre Chinese competition

• Participants ate hot peppers while sitting in an ice water-filled barrel in a challenge during the Feast of Fire and Ice 
• The task was to eat as many of the fiery vegetables as possible at the Songcheng scenic spot in Hangzhou city 
• Many participants quit due to the unbearable contrast between biting a hot pepper and sitting in cold water

• By Caroline Mcguire For Mailonline,www.dailymail.co.uk
• July 21st, 201
  
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Scores of brave women and men took part in a hot pepper and ice water barrel challenge in China earlier this week. 

The participants ate hot peppers while sitting in an ice water-filled barrel in a competition during the Feast of Fire and Ice at the Songcheng scenic spot in Hangzhou city, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. 

The task was to eat as many of the mouth-burning vegetables as possible while sitting in chilly waters, which were re-filled with ice cubes on a regular basis.

Many participants quit the contest due to the unbearable contrast between biting a hot pepper and sitting in cold water while ground temperatures in the city hit 40 degrees Celsius.

Hundreds of spectators looked on as the locals battled it out to be crowned champion. 

The contestants' faces went through a range of emotions as they struggled to maintain their composure when facing the extreme sensations. 

Scores of brave women and men took part in a hot pepper and ice water barrel challenge in China earlier this week

The participants ate hot peppers while sitting in an ice water-filled barrel in a challenge during the Feast of Fire and Ice at the Songcheng scenic spot in Hangzhou city

An employee pours ice cubes onto the head of a participant in the hot pepper ice water barrel challenge

Many participants quit the contest due to the unbearable contrast between the temperatures 

A participant manages to retain his composure while tucking into a hot pepper 

The contestants' faces went through a range of emotions as they struggled to maintain their composure when facing the extreme sensations

Each participant had to munch their way through several of the spicy vegetable during the contest. Assistants adorned in chilli skirts  were on hand with more peppers

A man stares warily at a small chilli as he clutches a bowl of hot peppers than are destined for his stomach 

The barrels of water also had large chunks of ice floating around to make the contest even more uncomfortable 

Spicy ice lollies were also on hand for the contestants to chow down on during the competition 

Yet more ice is poured into a contestant's barrel during the competition at the the Feast of Fire and Ice 

Hundreds of spectators looked on as the locals battled it out to be crowned champion